CHAPTER #14

Natasha was bored. "I hate doing surveillance work," she complained. When her ear piece didn't respond she added, "I know you love this."

"Just be happy that you're not trapped on that metal air bucket," Clint finally replied.

"True, so instead I'm trapped on a little island and a speed boat. That's not much better."

"Go for a swim, I'll pick you up if we need to leave. You know I'll keep an eye on you."

She sighed, "all right. Maybe I can catch something fresh for diner. Those meal replacement bars are like chalk."

Clint chuckled, "you've been spoiled with all the fancy food we had in Ho Chi Minh city." He heard her sigh and smiled. "Enjoy the swim."

Ten minutes later he saw her swim out, she was wearing snorkelling gear. He saw her dive down close to the island, then surface and blow out the salt water. She was restless, because when she had nothing to focus on, there was too much time to think and self reflect. Her past weighed heavily on her mind and he wanted to help Natasha, but if she wouldn't talk to him, there was little he could do. The sound of rotor blades in the air, directed his attention towards the island. As the speck in the sky drew, he could see that a helicopter was flying straight for the island. An idea grew in his mind. If they disabled the helicopter from being able to fly, a boat would have to be used to leave. Or even a boat would come to try and fix it. He needed to get to that island without being seen. A well placed arrow splashed into the water in front of agent Romanoff and she looked up and toward him. A hand signal and she began to swim quickly back. By the time she returned, he was already down the rope and on the boat, pulling up the anchor. He helped her on board.

"What's up?"

"Helicopter approaching the island. If you provide interference by boating near the island, get their attention. I can swim in and disable it. Then either a boat ride out or a boat in for repair will have to be used. Judging from the time of day and how long that bird usually stays, the boat should come at night."

"Nice. Go down and get your gear on. Then tell me where to drop you," Natasha said eagerly. Finally some action. She stripped off her wet suite. She'd wear just her bikini, which was a blue colour. Her tan made the blue stand out against her skin. No man had ever been immune to her toned body. Men stuck on an island, would be no exception. She'd pretend to sleep in the sun on top of the boat and accidentally drift close to the island. When agent Barton came topside, she advised of her plan.

"That's perfect. Just don't let them board the boat, we don't need you to become a hostage."

She raised her eyebrow at him and didn't' have to say a word. He retracted the warning and apologized for doubting her abilities. "I know you can handle yourself even if you are caught. But Fury would be all over my ass if that happens."

"I'll keep myself and you out of trouble. Ready to go?" Natasha smirked.

He nodded and told her where to drop him off. He had the underwater self propulsion unit with him for extra speed. Once overboard and she saw him heading towards the island where the helicopter had landed, she set the go-fast boat on a heading near the tip of the island. Then the waves would drift her close. She took off her top and lay down on the deck of the boat. Sunglasses in place, she waited for someone to notice her. It wasn't long before she could hear a shout in the vietnamese. The man was shouting to his comrades to check out the topless woman on a boat. She could hear him and his friends saying obscene things. When she heard at least five different voices, she sat up and then looked around, as if confused. Then she leaned over the edge of the boat, to check the anchor, which produced the reaction she expected. While she did so, the sun glasses allowed her to glance un-noticed toward the other shore. She could see agent Barton running for cover of the trees. Agent Romanoff pretended to suddenly notice the men on shore. Standing up, she waived at them and they enthusiastically waived back. One man whistled and she pretended to do a strip tease with her bikini bottoms. They were almost totally down her bottom, when she saw Barton slip into the water and disappear. She blew her admirers a kiss, pulled up her bottoms, put on a t-shirt and waived. Then starting the engine she drove the boat quickly away. Incase someone was watching with binoculars, she made sure to go around a far island. Before circling wide and coming back to the observation island. She dropped anchor behind the island, as it was still too light out to manoeuvre it into it's cave. The men on shore would surely see the boat.

She saw agent Barton surface and went to help him get his gear on board. "Did you disable their bird?"

"I made it look like the rotors had a little electric fire. If they're quick, they can put it out before the whole bird goes…." Clint explained, but a loud boom interrupted him.

Natasha laughed, "I guess they didn't put it out in time and the bird blew up."

He shrugged and shot her a grin. "Guess they aren't flying anywhere anytime soon."

She noticed that he didn't initially say anything about her being topless under her t-shirt, but he was Hawkeye and he never missed a thing. When he had stripped off his gear and was just in his swim trunks, that's went he made a comment.

"Do a strip tease for the men did you?" Clint smirked.

"Nothing like going topless to keep a man's eyes on a woman." Then she added, "to them I was a dumb topless tourist who forgot to set her anchor."

He mumbled, "dumb, you definitely are not."

She smiled and then went below to put on her agent uniform. Once she was back up top, agent Barton did the same. He shot an arrow onto the island and then climbed his rope. He disappeared once he was on the island. After he returned to his roost, he spoke into his communicator.

"Everyone from shore have gone to put out the helicopter fire, you can pull back into the cave," Clint advised.

"Should I put it in backwards like before?" Natasha asked.

"If you want."

She hated backing boats up, but got it in the cave and anchored out of sight, before Hawkeye reported seeing the men back at their posts. The old line they'd used to climb up from the cave, was still there, so she tied it to the railing. Then climbed up to join her partner. Using the binoculars she could see the damage caused by the explosion. Smoke still billowed upward and into the the sky.

"Good work. Do you think someone will come tonight?" She asked him.

"Most likely. I already reported to Fury that it was a HYDRA helicopter."

"I'd love to get my hands on a HYDRA agent before they eat their cyanide capsules. The dirty little secrets they would tell me…." Natasha smiled.

"They eat those pills because they know the Black Widow and your talents. It's the doctor Fury wants, not the agents."

"HYRDA knows about Hawkeye too, yet they still leave their helicopter unguarded." Natasha replied saucily.

Clint raised an eyebrow. "I never said there were no guards."

She looked him in the eyes, "kill anyone?"

"If they were still unconscious when the bird blew up, there may be a few casualties."

"Fury can't blame you for that…. you're so sneaky!" She complimented him.

"Since I interrupted you're hunt for diner, I guess we're stuck with meal bars again." Clint groaned.

"I thought you didn't mind eating them. Hawkeye, why not just shoot down a bird. They all taste like chicken anyway," Natasha suggested unconsciously licking her lips.

"Some are gamier, but I could do that. Wait here and I'll see what I can bring back for diner."

She watched him leave to go hunting. He walked quietly through the brush, every instinct focused on his prey. She didn't see or hear the arrow, but she saw a bird's flight cut short and it fall from the sky. He'd brought down a decent sized bird and plucked the feathers from it. Then returned with the cleaned bird.

"Do you want me to cook it?" Clint asked.

"Not necessary. You were the hunter and brought us diner, I'll cook it."

"Being domestic again are we?" Clint teased.

She snorted, "don't let it go to your head. Your sight will find an incoming boat right now better than I could. The setting sun gives too much light for the night vision and glare for the normal setting."

He brought her a pile of sticks for kindling, "relax I meant no offence."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "None taken." She returned to the boat and got some things for cooking the bird. Backpack secure, she climbed up the rope and began diner. Once the fire pit was hot like an oven, she opened the skinny can of energy drink and shoved the bird over top of it. So as the can got hot it's contents would baste the inside of the bird. Over the bird she put some tin foil, that she had wrapped some pieces of apple in from this morning. The apple pieces she shared with Barton.

"Desert first, just the way I like it."

It seemed like it took forever for the bird to cook, but finally Natasha declared it was ready. "Come down from there Hawkeye and eat this fine bird."

He jumped down and squatted beside her. "Black Widow, thank you for sharing this feast," he teased right back at her.

She kicked his foot out from under him and he fell back on to his ass. Natasha laughed and handed him a piece of hot roasted bird. "The energy drink gives the meat a little citrus flavour."

Clint sat cross-legged and bit into her offering. "Mmm, not bad. Thanks Nat."

"Hopefully a boat will come tonight and we can leave this damn island….And you're welcome," she added.